Archive Decision

This decision has been migrated from the JCA website. Information is accurate but formatting may differ from contemporary decisions. Please contact us for any further enquiries.

NZ Metro TC 28 September 2018 – R 1 – Chair, Mr R McKenzie

ID: JCA11278

Applicant:
Mr S P Renault - Stipendiary Steward

Respondent(s):
Mr P C Nairn - Licensed Open Driver

Information Number:
A09991

Hearing Type:
Hearing

New Charge:
Excessive use of the whip

Rules:
869(2) and Use of the Whip Regulations

Plea:
admitted

Meet Title:
NZ Metro TC - 28 September 2018

Meet Chair:
RMcKenzie

Meet Committee Member 1:
DJackson

Race Date:
2018/09/28

Race Number:
R 1

Decision:

Mr Nairn having admitted the breach, the charge was found proved.

Penalty:

Mr Nairn is fined the sum of $200.

Facts:

Following the running of Race 1, Christchurch Casino Proud Supporters of Cup Day Trot, an information was filed by Stipendiary Steward, Mr S P Renault, against Licensed Open Driver, Mr P C Nairn, alleging that Mr Nairn, as the driver of GIL FAVOUR in the race, “used his whip on more occasions than permitted by Clause (b) of the Use of the Whip Regulations”.

Mr Nairn had signed the Statement by the Respondent on the information form indicating that he admitted the breach. He further indicated that he did not wish to be present at the hearing of the information, which Mr Renault confirmed.

Rule 869 provides as follows:

(2) No horseman shall during any race use a whip in a manner in contravention of the Use of the Whip Regulations made by the Board.

The Use of Whip Regulations (effective from 30 November 2017) provide:

(b) No horseman is permitted to use their whip in a striking motion on more than ten occasions inside the final 400 metres. This is inclusive of “backhanders” and the use applies to the horse, harness and/or sulky.

Mr Renault showed a video replay of the final 400 metres of the race. He pointed out GIL FAVOUR, driven by Mr Nairn, improving 3-wide approaching the home turn, on the back of SWISS MISS (G D O’Reilly), in about 6th position. Stewards were alleging that Mr Nairn had used his whip on 13 occasions from that point, Mr Renault said. The count of 13 was accepted by Mr Nairn, Mr Renault said. Mr Nairn had explained to the Stewards that most of the strikes were on the sulky and he believed there had been pauses. The Committee noted that GIL FAVOUR had finished in 4th placing.

Submissions for Penalty:

Mr Renault told the Committee that Mr Nairn had a clear record. This was Mr Nairn’s first drive for the current season and, in the 2017/2018 season, he had only two drives. Mr Renault then referred to the sliding scale for breaches of the Rule as set out in the Regulations. He submitted that a fine of $200 for a number of strikes in the 11-13 range as per the Regulations was the appropriate penalty.

Reasons for Penalty:

In determining penalty, the Committee had regard to the Penalty Guide in the Use of the Whip Regulations and noted that the “sliding scale” penalty for a first offence involving a number of strikes in the 11-13 range is a fine of $200. The Committee saw no need to depart from the prescribed penalty.

JCA Decision Fields (raw)

Dmitry: This section contains all JCA fields migrated from the raw data.

Data from these fields should be mapped appropriately to display amongst the standard fields above; please make note of any values below that are missing in the above standard fields but should be there.

hearingid: 1422ca97f2aee0eb6e6e00feea7311ae


informantnumber: A09991


horsename:


hearing_racingtype:


startdate: no date provided


newcharge: Excessive use of the whip


plea: admitted


penaltyrequired: 1


decisiondate: 02/10/2018


hearing_title: NZ Metro TC 28 September 2018 - R 1 - Chair, Mr R McKenzie


charge:


facts:

Following the running of Race 1, Christchurch Casino Proud Supporters of Cup Day Trot, an information was filed by Stipendiary Steward, Mr S P Renault, against Licensed Open Driver, Mr P C Nairn, alleging that Mr Nairn, as the driver of GIL FAVOUR in the race, “used his whip on more occasions than permitted by Clause (b) of the Use of the Whip Regulations”.

Mr Nairn had signed the Statement by the Respondent on the information form indicating that he admitted the breach. He further indicated that he did not wish to be present at the hearing of the information, which Mr Renault confirmed.

Rule 869 provides as follows:

(2) No horseman shall during any race use a whip in a manner in contravention of the Use of the Whip Regulations made by the Board.

The Use of Whip Regulations (effective from 30 November 2017) provide:

(b) No horseman is permitted to use their whip in a striking motion on more than ten occasions inside the final 400 metres. This is inclusive of “backhanders” and the use applies to the horse, harness and/or sulky.

Mr Renault showed a video replay of the final 400 metres of the race. He pointed out GIL FAVOUR, driven by Mr Nairn, improving 3-wide approaching the home turn, on the back of SWISS MISS (G D O’Reilly), in about 6th position. Stewards were alleging that Mr Nairn had used his whip on 13 occasions from that point, Mr Renault said. The count of 13 was accepted by Mr Nairn, Mr Renault said. Mr Nairn had explained to the Stewards that most of the strikes were on the sulky and he believed there had been pauses. The Committee noted that GIL FAVOUR had finished in 4th placing.


appealdecision:


isappeal:


submissionsfordecision:


reasonsfordecision:


Decision:

Mr Nairn having admitted the breach, the charge was found proved.


sumissionsforpenalty:

Mr Renault told the Committee that Mr Nairn had a clear record. This was Mr Nairn’s first drive for the current season and, in the 2017/2018 season, he had only two drives. Mr Renault then referred to the sliding scale for breaches of the Rule as set out in the Regulations. He submitted that a fine of $200 for a number of strikes in the 11-13 range as per the Regulations was the appropriate penalty.


reasonsforpenalty:

In determining penalty, the Committee had regard to the Penalty Guide in the Use of the Whip Regulations and noted that the “sliding scale” penalty for a first offence involving a number of strikes in the 11-13 range is a fine of $200. The Committee saw no need to depart from the prescribed penalty.


penalty:

Mr Nairn is fined the sum of $200.


hearing_type: Hearing


Rules: 869(2) and Use of the Whip Regulations


Informant: Mr S P Renault - Stipendiary Steward


JockeysandTrainer: Mr P C Nairn - Licensed Open Driver


Otherperson:


PersonPresent:


Respondent:


StipendSteward:


raceid: f70f7eab60b27e66c2f4368c0c644f86


race_expapproval:


racecancelled: 0


race_noreport: 0


race_emailed1: 0


race_emailed2: 0


race_title: R 1


submittochair:


race_expappcomment:


race_km:


race_otherexp:


race_chair:


race_pm1:


race_pm2:


meetid: 6a82b7e84b650047d8022f581049c811


meet_expapproval:


meet_noreport: 0


waitingforpublication: 0


meet_emailed1: 0


meet_emailed2: 0


meetdate: 28/09/2018


meet_title: NZ Metro TC - 28 September 2018


meet_expappcomment:


meet_km:


meet_otherexp:


tracklocation: nz-metro-tc


meet_racingtype: harness-racing


meet_chair: RMcKenzie


meet_pm1: DJackson


meet_pm2: none


name: NZ Metro TC